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Lincoln’s Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin

I absolutely loved “Bomb – The Race to Build – and Steal – the World’s Most Powerful Weapon” also by this author so when I saw this little book I had a feeling I would not be disappointed. I also happen to love history and love sharing wacky stories with my students and this definitely qualifies as one. I kept stopping along the way and asking Brandon whether he knew this fact or that fact. He had no idea about any of this either. The sheer audacity of this stunt and how it unfolded it enough to convince even the most hardened anti non -fiction reader out there to actually read this book.

Bottomline: Great read for all upper elementary readers.

From Goodreads:A true crime thriller — the first book for teens to tell the nearly unknown tale of the brazen attempt to steal Abraham Lincoln’s body!

The action begins in October of 1875, as Secret Service agents raid the Fulton, Illinois, workshop of master counterfeiter Ben Boyd. Soon after Boyd is hauled off to prison, members of his counterfeiting ring gather in the back room of a smoky Chicago saloon to discuss how to spring their ringleader. Their plan: grab Lincoln’s body from its Springfield tomb, stash it in the sand dunes near Lake Michigan, and demand, as a ransom, the release of Ben Boyd –and $200,000 in cash. From here, the action alternates between the conspirators, the Secret Service agents on their trail, and the undercover agent moving back and forth between the two groups. Along the way readers get glimpses into the inner workings of counterfeiting, grave robbing, detective work, and the early days of the Secret Service. The plot moves toward a wild climax as robbers and lawmen converge at Lincoln’s tomb on election night: November 7, 1876.

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A Disclaimer of Sorts

This blog started because my students asked me how they would find books after they were no longer in our classroom. I told them I would make a blog just for them so they could keep up with what I have been reading. Most of the books reviewed on here have been purchased by me. Some have been graciously given to me by a publisher or an author with the knowledge that I will always give an honest review, no matter what. While I do have affiliate links from Amazon on here at times, I do encourage you to shop at your local independent book store whenever possible, I know I do.